Filling-feeler mechanism for looms



Jan. 17, 1933. HjLE DOUX FILLING FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed Aug. 7, 1930 venw Patented Jan. 17, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v HECTOR LE DOUX, OF HYDE PARK,'MASSAGHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO

DRAPER CORPORATION, HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS FILLING-FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS 'Applicationfiled August 7, ieaofsemi No. 473,620.

The invention has relation to filling-feeler devices which commonly are used in looms for the purpose of detecting the approach of substantial exhaustion of the supply of filling occupying the working shuttle upon the lay of'aloom. Asis Well-known, such devices are employed'to'bring about a change in the working of, a loom when the filling-supply has been reduced to a. predetermined minimum, in order to guard against'the occurrence, in the cloth being woven, .of an in-'. complete or partial pick of filling which does not extend the full width of the cloth, and which will require with the loom'stopped, in order to avoid production of a defect in the cloth, or will reduce the value of the finished cloth if allowed to remain. In the case of looms equipped with automatic filling replenishing mechanism, the filling-feeler'acts to call this mechanism into action, so as to provide thereby a fresh supply of filling upon the lay; in the case of other looms the fillingfeeler acts to stop the weaving. a I v V More particularly the invention has relation to filling-feeler devices of the side-sliping class.

Filling-feeler mechanisms of the class to whichthe present invention is applicable comprise, ordinarily, a side-slipping feelermember having movement forward and rearward of the loom imparted thereto by the feeling action, conjoined with a side-slipping pivotal indicating movement, and a transmitter that is actuated by the said side-slipping movement to indicate, as it is termed, the change in the working of the loom..

The general object of the present invention is to provide an improved filling-feeler mechanism of the side-slipping class characterized by simplicity of freedom from liability'to get out of order, and by light and easy action.

A special aim of the invention is to provide a filling-feeler adapted to operate upon known, results-from repeated impact of the to be removed by hand construction and same spot of the periphery of the shuttlecontained wound mass of filling against the feeler-member. This impact takes effect many times upon the same turns of the wound mass. of filling, before the supply becomes so far depleted as to begin unwinding those turns with resulting shifting of the impact .to other turns underlying the original superfioialturns. This localized pounding of the woundrnass sometimes involves displacement of the said turns, and resulting interference with free delivery of the filling from the wound mass. Sometimes, it results in the cuttingor turns; or in chafing or other injury to the filling. The finer the ject it is to injury, by reason of the greater length of yarn comprising the wound mass, and its consequent longer shuttle, and also due toits delicacy and inability'to withstand the repeated pounding.

The invention comprises a novel and im-' proved side-slipping feeler device character-' ized by the provision of afilling-feeler having a laterally offset filling-engaging tip and pivotally mounted on a carrier which moves bined with the latter yieldingly rearward and to return such carrier to its rearwardposition after each feeling action.

'An illustrativeembodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which, r

Fig. 1 is a plan view of certain-of the parts at the feeler end of a loom, namely a portion of the lay, a shuttle and its supply, and the said embodiment.

Fig. 2'is aplan view similar to Fig. 1, showing the side-slipping indicating action of the feeler.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the feeler. The improved filling-feeler device is located as usual hitherto atone end of the breast beam ofthe loom in which the device is em breaking of one or more" filling the more subduration in the in its presentation I fillingso H;

15 has a pivot 10 spect to the is flattened face 20', Fig. 2, disposed at an acute 50 ment 24 changes ployed, being supported by means of a bracket 2 applied in connection with the breast beam of the loom. To the outer end ofthis bracket the feeler-stand 4 is made fast by 5 a suitable bolt 6. In the feeler-stand 4 is a feeler-carrier 7 comprising a rearward portion rectangular in section and a forward portion of reduced diameter and circular section, sliding freely forward and rearward at right angles to the lay 8 in guides formed in the vertical portions of the feeler-stand, and limited in its travel rearward by a stop-pin 9 through its forward end which projects from the stand. The feeler-carrier or slide 7 fixed in. its rearward extremity, on which is pivotally mounted the feelermember 12. This feeler-member is of the familiar side-slipping type, and has a serrated filling-engaging'tip 14 offset with repivot 10 in the d rection of the length of the lay 8 and the shuttle-contents 42 44 tef'. l referably the feeler-tip 14 is a 'sepa rate piece which is. united in a screw-thread ed engagement with a member 16 in which is formed the hub l8fitting freely on the pivot 10.

This portion 16 of the feeler-member 12 provided at its frontward surface with a angle with respect to the axis of the shank of the filling-engaging tip 14. This flattened face 20 is adapted to be engaged by a similar flattened: face 22, substantially co-extensive laterally with the face 20, and disposed parallel to the lay, this flattened face 22 being formed on the rearward extremity of a resilient element 24 having a rearward portion ,,.,of rectangular section sliding freely in a guide 26 formed in the feeler-stand and having areduced forward portion of circular section freely slidable within a guide 27, also formed for its reception in the feeler-stand. The resilient action ofthe element 24 is derived from the arrangement of an expanding of the element 24.

The expanding spring 28 acts to push the resilient element 24 yieldingly and resiliently rearward at all times. The flat rear- "Award face 22 of the resilient element 24 en- "gages and presses rearwardly against the coacting flat surface 20 on the feeler-member 12, and by reason of such pressure normally compels the face 20 to assume a position in parallel with the face 22 and in contact with "the latter surface along a line parallel to the illustrated in connection with'the latlay and extending laterally beyond the pivot 10 at each side of the latter. The result of the rearward "push of the resilient element 24 thus normally is, first, to rotate the feelermember 12 about its pivotal connection on the carrier 7 until the'two surfaces 20 and 22 are: parallelism, and thus to bring in substantial or hold the feeler-member yieldingly erect in its desired angular presentation position for engagement by the shuttle-contents as the lay advances, and secondly, to hold the feeler memberandfits carrier yieldingly rearward in the path of the advancing lay and to return these parts to their normal rearward position after each feeling action, through causing rearward sliding movement and permitting forward sliding carrier 7 within the feeler-s'tand 4;

The feeler-member is equipped with a tail 34 which extends upwardly and forwardlyfrom the vicinity of the surface 20011 the feeler-member. Through the lateral movement of this tail incident to side-slipping of the feeler-member when-the latter detects substantial exhaustion of the filling'occupy ing the shuttle, an impulse is derived which is utilized to call the change inthe operation of the loom which initiates replenishment of the supply of working filling on the lay.

The means for deriving'the' change-calling impulsefrom the side slipping movement of the feeler-nie'mber about its pivot 10 on the carrier may be'of any well-known or desired form. Owing to the manifold formsnow known and in common use, only a fragmentary portion of a transmitting member'36 is shown, adapted to call the aforesaid change through a pull delivered to the transmitting member by the movement of the feeler-tail substantially laterally of the loom. To engage the transmitting member 36 with. the feeler-tail, a plurality of holes 38 are movement 7 of the provided in the feeler-tail, with the desired 7 one of which the turned-down extremity of the member 36 is engaged, and inwhich it is secured by a pin 40.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the parts are normally held in the relationship shown in'Fig. 1 with the fillingengaging rearward extremity of the feelermember presented to the impact ofthe'shut tle-contents in oblique and. offset relation to the pivotlO by which the feeler-member is mounted on the carrier 7. When the offset extremity of the feeler-member is struck'by the advancing shuttle-contents, the offset relation of the extremity tends to make, the feeler-member rotate about its pivot 10, but

so long as sufficient filling for continued weaving remains, the serrations at the rearward extremity of the tip 14 will beengaged by the filling and prevented from movement lengthwise of the surface of the wound mass.

The feeler-member and carrierwill be thrust" forward with respect to the feeler-stand 4,

the resilient member 24 yielding to permit such forward movement, and nochange 1n relationship shown in Fig. 2, with the fillingengaging tip slipping lengthwise along the surface of the denuded bobbin 44 and with attendant change of the angular position of the feeler-member and resulting rotation about its pivot 10, through which rotation an impulse is derived and transmitted by the transmitting member 36 to call the change.

It will be observed that when the feelermember is in any other than its normal angular presentation position, the face 20 on the feeler-member is displaced out of parallel with its coacting face 22 of the resilient mem ber 24. This causes the rearwardly directed force exerted by the resilient member 24 on the feeler-member, normally passing through the pivot 10, to be delivered to the feelermember at a point that is ofiset laterally of the loom with respect to the feeler-members pivot 10 and hence this force acts to resist rotation of the feeler-member about such pivot, and acts to restore it to its normal angular presentation position whenever the feeler-member is displaced out of such position by the superior force exerted by the shuttle-contents during a side slipping detecting action. That is, in whichever direction the feeler may be displaced out of its normal presentation position through rotation about the pivot 10, immediately it is so displaced, the point of application of the force of the resilient member 24 is shifted laterally with respect to the pivot 10 to resist such rotation. surface 20 shaped to conform to the coacting face of the resilient member 24 forms a stopdevice which determines the angular presentation position of the feeler-member with respect to the carrier. To define the extreme limit of rotation permitted the feeler-memher about its pivot 10 in side slipping, a stop pin 46 is provided, herein a cotter-pin, one end of which is adapted to be engaged by the surface 48 of the vertical portion of the tail 34.

The described device for feeling the filling is of important practical value. It presents an organization characterized by marked saving of wear and tear on the wound fillingsupply. The moving parts of the feeler are light and easy on the filling in the repeated feeling operations, and sensitive and accurate in gauging the amount remaining, and responsive in acting to call the change. The the single resilient element, involving use of Thus, the provision of they the use of a single spring, and engaging di rectly with the-fe'eler-member to effect the two results of holding and restoring the feeler-member'r'earward after it and its carrier havebeen thrust forward, and of holding and restoring the feeler-member erect in proper angular relation to receive the impact of the shuttle-contents, afiords a marked advance in reducing cost and upkeep, and in simplifying repairs and adjustment.

While I have illustrated and described a certain form in'which the invention may be embodied, I am aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular form shown or to the details of construction thereof, but

What I do claim is 1. A filling-feeler mechanism for looms, having in combination, a feeler-carrier, a side slipping feeler-member pivot-ally mounted on the carrier, and resilient means exertinga force on the feeler-member in balanced relati on and without tendency to produce pivotal movement of the feeler-member when in normal angular relation, andexerting a force on the feeler-member, when the latter slips sidewise, tending to produce pivotal movement opposite'to that resulting from side slipping.

disposed parallel to the lay but tilted from such normalposition upon the side slipping I of the feeler member, a resilient element having a similarly disposed surface coacting with the first surface to hold the feeler-member against rotation about its pivot, and guide means for the resilient element serving to maintain the said surface of the latter parallel to the lay at all times.

3. A filling-feeler mechanism for looms, having in combination, a feeler-carrier, a side slipping feeler-member pivotally mounted on the carrier and'having a surface disposed parallel to the lay and extending on opposite sides of the said pivotal'mounting, and a resilient element having a similarly disposed and similarly extending surface coacting with the first surface to hold the feeleranember against rotation about its pivot and to hold the carrier rearward.

4. A filling-feeler mechanism for looms, having in combination, a fixed stand, a feelercarrier slidably mounted in such stand, a side- 'slipping feeler-member pivotally mounted on the carrier, a member slidably mounted in the stand, and a spring forcing such latter member rearward against the tail of the feeler-member. the flat engaging surface of the member causing the coacting surface of the tail to enter into parallelism therewith and thus determining the normal angular relation of the feeler-inember about its pivot, and at the same time acting to hold the feeler-memher and carrier rearward in the fixed stand.

HECTOR LE DOUX. 

